Faith without an object? : the problem of faith and objectifying thinking in Karl Jaspers and Ladislav Hejdánek
Abstract
The paper endeavours to give a critical comparison of the conceptions of faith in the philosophy of Karl Jaspers and the Czech philosopher Ladislav Hejdánek. Hejdánek is portrayed as a thinker who, compared with the conception of Jaspers, can offer a remarkable inspiration from the standpoint of his own philosophy.
At first, the differences between the understanding of religion, Christianity, and faith in both conceptions are examined to show that Christianity need not be grasped as a religion. In accordance with this view, faith in Hejdánek is described as a new way of life (in contrast to the archetypical orientation of the mythical man) which is distinguished by a hopeful relationship to the future.
It is shown that from the Hejdánek's point of view, a differentiation missing in Jaspers can be introduced, namely the distinction between the faith as such and the reflection of faith. Subsequently, the reason why Jaspers considers a non-objective faith to be impossible is found in his conception of what objectification in thought means.
The subject-object dichotomy in Jaspers is understood as a description of intentionality of thought which offers insufficient characteristics of the objectifying way of thinking. An alternative to this attitude is seen in Hejdánek's distinction between the "intentional" and the "real" object.
Finally, the possibility is underlined that what Jaspers regards as necessary traits of thought can show up to be a disposition that could be transformed in the future.